What If
by jadoreamour
Summary: The past, re-written.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone. :-)****  
****  
So, I have thought ****of another story only this time its Carla and Liam related. I know it all ended a while ago but I hope you will still enjoy this. I haven't forgotten about When The Sun Goes Down, but it's just on hold for the moment. I have re-discovered my love for Liarla, hence the reason for this fiction. A couple of things I need to point out are that Frank is Carla's uncle and that Carla has dated Paul, but only for a couple of months. I can't remember what the age situation was between them in Coronation Street, but for the purposes of this fiction, Liam is older than Carla. She is 15 and he is 19.****  
****  
I will try to get the first part up asap.****  
I hope you like the sound of this.****  
****  
X**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello again everyone. :-) I feel like I have to mention this, this chapter wasn't supposed to take as long as this for me to post. I had the first chapter sitting and waiting to be posted for a couple of days but I changed my mind about it, so I had to re-write the whole thing. I was hoping that it would be for the better but I'm not fully with how this has turned out, though if I'd have edited it anymore I'm not sure I would have posted at all. Also, I know I originally posted this under the T rating, but the little note that was left on the homepage has gotten me a little worried so I think I am going to change it to an M rating. If the whole fiction wasn't this chapter would be anyway. Can I also just say that if you're easily upset then don't carry on with this fiction, there are fairly strong references to rape in this chapter. I hope you enjoy this. :-) Please leave comments if you have the time.**

_"You were always meant to be my destiny."_

Part One.

Carla lay in bed having just woken up in a cold sweat, she was tired but it seemed that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get the rest that she so desperately needed. She placed the back of her hand to her forehead and even she was shocked at the heat that radiated from her. She was shivering but she was covered in a thin layer of sweat and hot to the touch. What was it with falling ill? The only upshot would usually be that she got time off school but she had fallen ill at the start of the half-term holidays. Typical, she thought. Carla wriggled a little in the bed in an attempt to lie in a more comfortable position than she had been but she failed miserably. Carla turned to again, this time to lie on her side and pulled her legs onto her chest as she tried to settle once more.

Downstairs, Frank was sitting in the armchair in the living room. He had a Whiskey in one hand and a cigar that he enjoyed every now and then in another. He had been living with Carla and her mum for the past 6 months. His brother had left a year before and it hadn't taken him too long to move in on Jackie. It had been only weeks after he had moved in that he had begun to control every part of both Jackie and Carla's lives and he had enjoyed it. Jackie hung onto his every word and though Carla hadn't made it easy for him at first, a couple of slaps had made sure she had been put in her place. However, Frank at that moment was furious. He had found out that twenty pounds that had been taken from his money earlier that week had been taken by Carla when he'd found a receipt in the bin for a dress she had bought. He tapped his hand against the arm of the chair as he thought about what to do but was brought out of his thoughts when he heard footsteps descending the stairs. When Carla walked through into the kitchen he didn't say anything and contemplated his next move.

Carla had gone downstairs for a drink to try and rid her of the feeling that her throat had somehow turned into sandpaper, but on finding Frank was downstairs she regretted ever leaving her room. She had thought the money she had taken was her mum's and she had taken it to get a dress for a party that had been arranged for the weekend. But, when she had heard that it was Frank's she decided against owning up to taking it, knowing that he would go crazy about it. After filling the glass she pushed her hair back gently with a sigh before turning around to go back upstairs, but she was stopped by Frank who spoke up from where he was sitting in his chair. "Carla." his tone was cold and sharp and it made her worry instantly.  
"What?" she questioned, her tone more shaky than she would have liked.  
"I think you owe me an apology."  
"For what?"  
"Oh I think you know." he drained the rest of his drink.  
Carla chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before shaking her head a little "I don't..."  
"Well why don't you let me refresh your memory? Twenty pounds that you stole from the table, the money that you used to buy a dress with. The money that you didn't own up to taking when I asked you..."  
Carla ran her tongue over her top teeth for a moment as she contemplated how to answer, she knew that denying it was pointless and admitting it would only wind him up further. Carla paused for a moment before darting around the corner and to the stairs, doing her best not to spill the glass of water that was in her hand. It took only seconds for it to register in Frank's mind what she was doing and he got up off the chair to follow her. By this time Carla was racing up the stairs and just before she reached the top Frank grabbed her ankle which caused her to trip slightly and drop the glass she had been holding. It smashed and one of the broken pieces caught her leg, cutting it. However, Carla was so busy trying to get away from Frank she didn't even know about it. Carla took advantage of Frank concentrating on getting up to move back once more and run onto the landing. Once she was there she went to her room and on getting inside she turned around to close the door, but found that Frank's foot was jammed in it so that it wouldn't close. With one heavy shove from him she was overpowered and fell back against the bed. Frank stepped into the room and closed the door with a slam, making Carla jump.

Carla attempted to scramble to her feet but before she had the chance to she found herself being dragged onto the bed by Frank. His fingers dug into the tops of her shoulders and as she tried to move out of his grasp she found that it only got tighter. "Please let go of me..." Carla whimpered, though she doubted if Frank had even heard her, and as she struggled harder when she felt his hand snake up the inside of her thigh. Carla pushed against his chest though it was no use, it felt as though as she was losing strength he was gaining it and it soon became apparent that fighting him off was going to be impossible. Frank moved his other hand from her shoulder to hold her arm before tearing her knickers down her legs. Although she tried, Carla couldn't stop the tears from cascading down her cheeks now as she struggled to catch her breath with the weight of him on top of her and the sheer panic she felt.. The pain that shot down her other arm let her know that cramp had set in, but it was nothing compared to the pain that she was about to experience. She cried out in sheer agony but Frank's hand pressing down on her neck silenced her once more.

Carla turned her head to the side, almost trying to detach herself from what was happening, though it wasn't possible. She struggled to catch her breath that was coming in short sharp gasps as her tears fell like a waterfall. A terrified whimper passed her lips and she pressed them together in an attempt to stop herself from making any more noise. Though she couldn't stop a strangled cry from emitting from the back of her throat when Frank pulled her hair causing her head to jerk to one side, his other hand grabbed at her thighs and she tried to use every little piece of will power she possessed to stop herself from wretching though it was no use.

She lost control of her senses and what happened next seemed like one huge blur to her. One that was full of pain, anguish, tears and being utterly scared out of her wits in her own home, her own bedroom. She was 15 years old, she'd never slept with anyone before and she knew in that moment even though she hadn't admitted it to herself that being intimate with someone would always come back to that moment. She knew it, and so did Frank.

Carla wasn't sure how long had passed when Frank grunted before slowly moving off her. When he had done she pulled her legs to her chest, wrapping her arms around her trembling form as she waited for him to leave. He adjusted his trousers and straightened his shirt before speaking. "I think that debt is now paid, but if you ever want to borrow any more money, just let me know." he smirked.

Carla felt the bile rise in her throat at his words and got off the bed, putting her hand over her mouth as she raced across the landing to the bathroom. On getting into the bathroom she fell to her knees in front of the toilet before throwing up. The pains that were shooting through her stomach quite literally took her breath away and as she sat back against the bath she was unsure whether she would be able to get back up again. When Frank descended the stairs, and Carla heard the familiar creak of the fifth one, she let out a breath that she didn't know she'd been holding. The front door slammed seconds later and when there were no voices she knew that he must have gone out. Carla tilted her head back slightly against the bath and she wasn't sure how long she had been there wondering what she was supposed to do about the situation she was now in but when the door went once more and her mum called out. Carla knew she needed to tell someone, either that or risk it happening again.

It took Carla considerably longer than normal to get downstairs and into the living room, and she couldn't deny she felt a surge of relief wash over her on getting there, though it went as soon as it had come as it dawned in her that she was somehow going to have to get what she had just been through into some kind of sentence. "Mum..."  
"Oh, there you are..."  
"Can I talk to you?" she whispered while making her way over to the couch to sit down.  
Jackie frowned, "what's wrong with you, you're walking like you've got something stuffed between your legs."  
Carla had to stop herself from gagging at the comment. "Mum... I really need to talk to you..."  
Jackie sighed and walked past Carla into the kitchen to get herself another drink. "Well hurry up, Frank's coming back with something to eat in a minute and I want you out of the way."  
Carla chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before deciding against trying to talk to Jackie, there was no way she would take her word over Frank's and if he found out that she had told her, Carla dreaded to think what he might do then. "It doesn't matter..." she sighed, before struggling back up the stairs once more.

When Frank walked through the door moments later, the mere sound of his voice made Carla's skin crawl and her stomach churn. She sat on the edge of her bed and wrapped her arms around her stomach as she rocked back and forward slowly. Around fourty minutes had passed when Frank and Jackie made their way upstairs and Carla knew that she couldn't spend the night in the house with them. She waited until the door had closed to the bedroom, pulling on a coat and a pair of shoes before walking down the stairs and out of the door. The rain was lashing against her skin as she stepped outside and Carla burst into tears once more. She bowed her head and slowly made her way down the street and around the corner, wincing with every step that she took.

Carla was a couple of streets away from where she lived when she collided with someone. On feeling hands against her shoulders, where Frank's had been only a couple of hours previously, she tensed up and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to walk past and get away as fast as she could. However, she was stopped by the individual who tried to coax her head up to get her attention by hooking their finger gently under her chin. "Carla? Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

The voice. She recognized that voice.

Carla raised her head a little and cried a little harder on finding it was Liam standing in front of her. When he wrapped his arm around her shoulders to pull her close she was hesitant at first but it was mere seconds before she let him hold her close. Liam's hand made gentle circles on the top of her back, his touch nothing like Frank's. Her hands curled tightly around the material of the coat he had on and held onto it for dear life. Liam's other hand held the back of her head for a moment, surprised at the sheer panic and worry he felt for the girl that was in his arms at that moment in time. After a moment or two, Liam kissed the side of Carla's head before speaking once more. "Sweetheart, it's freezing out here and you're wet through. Why aren't you at home?"  
"I'm not going back there..."  
"What's happened?"  
Carla shook her head, almost choking on her words, unsure of how to answer him. "I can't..."  
"Alright come on, I'll take you to mine."  
"But..."  
Liam shook his head and spoke before Carla had finished. "But nothing, you're coming with me."

Liam kept his arm around Carla as they walked but it soon became apparent to him that something wasn't right, it seemed that she was struggling to stay upright, let alone make the journey to the Connor household. Liam stopped and Carla frowned in confusion. "What are you doing?"  
"Put your arm around my neck."  
Carla decided against arguing with him and looped her arm around his neck, though held on a little tighter when he scooped her up with one arm around her back and the other under her legs. She leaned against Liam and was thankful for the gesture, and though a word wasn't spoken between them she knew that he would know.

Liam noticed the cut on her leg and frowned, silently wondering how she had done it. Though he knew better than to try and have that conversation with her while the pair of them were out in the pouring down rain. What worried him the most was the way she continually clutched at her stomach and when he walked past a streetlight the bruises on her neck and her wrists that were illuminated made him feel sick to the stomach. Liam held Carla a little closer as he walked, picking up his pace slightly, wanting to get her away from her own home and whatever had happened as fast as possible.


End file.
